Robert Coleman SMYTH & Nancy Wallace WILLIAMS
Father: Robert Coleman SMYTH, (son of William M SMYTH), b. 8 Nov 1821, Whitley County Kentucky or Smyth County Virginia, d. 29 Jan 1906, Kansas City KS, bur. Woodlawn Cemetery KC KS
Robert Coleman Smyth was actually born in Whitley County Kentucky according to his discharge papers in the Mexican War. From this document we also learn that at the time of his discharge in 1848 as a private(he volunteered) , he is 25 years of age, five foot ten, fair complexion and blue eyes.. He also has red hair. Later when he applies for a pension his eyes are listed as grey. As a side note this is almost an exact description of my father George Frederick Seymour Jr, who would be Robert's great grandson. It is fascinating to learn where he probably got his red hair.and the gray eyes. Under a bio about Robert Smyth and his son John Edwin in the History of Wyandotte County it reads, “ that John Edwin Smyth is the son of Robert C Smyth and Nancy W Williams Smyth, the former of whom was born in Smyth County Virginia and the later in Madison County Kentucky., where the family of sterling Scotch ancestry was founded in the early day. ” In a prior paragraph it is noted that John Edwin Smyth is a scion of of an old and distingushed southern family of German lineage.“ Supposedly according to this article Robert Smyth' father William was the namesake of Smyth County Virginia. As illustrious as that sounds it is not even vaguely true. Smyth County was named for Alexander Smyth a hero of 1812 who was born in Ireland.This is not uncommon, people in genealogies make grandiose claims. Also, Robert asserts on all but one census he was born in Kentucky and indeed on his pension papers, he states he was born in Whitley County Kentucky. The Wyandotte County article has him born in Virginia .Still Robert C Smyth is described in the article as” a man of fine mentality and sterling character Also it describes him as a man of single integrity and honor and he ever held the esteem and confidence of his fellow man“. In his early manhood he was a successful teacher in the schools of his native state Kentucky. In 1860 in the township of Liberty Casey County Kentucky. he is with his new wife and children Margaret and little Hiriam. Although they could mean he was born in Virginia and spent all his growing up years in Kentucky. On the earliest census for Robert C showing him with his parents William and Francis in Casey County Kentucky in 1850 it states he was born in Virginia. For purposes of the file I have used Whitley County Kentucky or Smyth County Virginia as his birthplace according to his Mexican War pension papers. The Wyandotte County article describes his journey from Kentucky about the year 1870 to Kansas City Missouri In actuality he is in Carroll County Missouri in the Wallander township.in 1870. The article describes his work as being of .” various occupations.“ In 1870 he is listed as a farmer. By 1882 he is living in Kansas City Mo farming at Charlotte and Holmes. He served as a valiant soldier in the Mexican War, as a member of a 4th Kentucky regiment and he passed the closing years of his life in Kansas City, KS where he died in 1906 at 84 years old. NOTE^^^^^ An interesting family story has some ancestor of my father getting in some trouble in the state of Virginia for stealing a horse and when he was sentenced to be hung, the entire family fled the state of Virginia and ended up in Kentucky for a time before coming to Missouri. There is no evidence that anywhere of the Seymour surname actually ended up in Kentucky.No children are born there. The Williams family was always in Kentucky it seems, so that leaves someone in the Smyth family as a probable culprit. While not necessarily Robert Coleman Smyth himself, perhaps it was one of his relations , be it brother or cousin.or father. Story told to me by my father now deceased George Frederick Seymour Jr.In 1893 Robert disabled applies for a pension from his service in the Mexican War. He says in his declaration among other things that he is not able to do any manual labor, that he does not own any property real or personal except for some scant household goods, He is already getting a pension of only eight dollars and it is not sufficient for him to live on. He has also been on partial charity and that this in combination with the pension is not enough to support him. It is signed by Calaway Seymour and his son JE Smyth.He also is very honest in saying he was in no actual engagements or battles. IN 1894 his pension is raised to $12.00 dollars. Robert Coleman Smyth's obit reads as follows, Robert C Smyth 84 years old was in the South Kentucky infantry. Robert C Smyth 84 years old died this morning at his house on South 14th Street KC KSwas a veteran of the Mexican War and had lived in Kansas City KS for 26 years. In the Mexican War Mr Smyth served in the Fourth Kentucky infantry. Mr Smyth did not serve in the Civil War. He had been in ill health for several years. He leaves a widow, two sons and three daughters. The sons are JE Smyth a stereotyper for the KC Star and Robert Smyth employed by the Rock Island Railway Company. The daughters are Mrs Mary and Mrs Elizabeth Seymour and Mrs Florence Isaacson. All reside in KC Kansas.. Note by JA Seymour according to his pension paper application by his widow, he died of cancer of the intestines. In 1890 Robert, Nancy and a few of their unmarried children are living around 14th and Cement avenue
Mother: Nancy Wallace WILLIAMS, (daughter of William Q WILLIAMS), b. 1 Jul 1829, Liberty Township Casey County Kentucky, d. 24 Feb 1917, Kansas City KS, bur. Woodlawn Cemetery, Kansas City KS
On January 6 0f 1917 Nancy Wallace Williams Smyth now blind applies for an increase in her now deceased husbands Mexican War pension from 12.00 to 20.00. From this we learn that Nancy is now blind and that she is living at 1622 the Terrace, (Wyandotte County)the house where later Harrison Seymour and his wife , Nancy's daughter Elizabeth “Lizzie” Smyth will live and die. This home was in the family then for a number of years. It is said that with the advent of the turnpike it was torn down. The pension also establishes her birthdate, year and town where she was born. When she applied for pension she was living with her daughter Florence Isaacson who was caring for her.It is interesting to note that in these papers there is a bill for the undertaker who tends to Nancy after her death in the amount of 207.50 In between the time Nancy Wallace Williams Smyth applies for the 20.00 increase she herself passes away and the entire pension is canceled. Note: In records for pension application her son John E Smyth asserts that his mother Nancy was born in Liberty in Madison County Kentucky and refers to a family bible that has been lost since and he is recalling it from memory. Probably the Bible in the hands of George Frederick Seymour III is one started by Lizzie Smyth her daughter as the previous one was lost. According to the pension request Nancy was born in Richmond township in Madison County Kentucky which neighbors Casey County. The Wyandotte County article of 1911 places her birth in Casey County Kentucky.. Nancy dies of bronchitis which she had off and on chronically for 8 years her last visit according to her doctor on Feb 13 of 1917. Her daughter Florence Isaacson took care of her at the 1622 the Terrace address. Apparently Nancy left the house to Harrison Seymour and her daughter Elizabeth “Lizzie” Smyth.
Married 2 Jun 1856, Casey County Kentucky
Children:
- Mary Frances SMYTH, b. Mar 1857, d. 1 Dec 1949, Kansas City KS, bur. Highland Park Cemetery KC KS
- Elizabeth "Lizzie" Margaret SMYTH, b. 8 Sep 1858, Casey County Kentucky, d. 18 Jan 1925, Kansas City KS, bur. Highland Park
- Hiriam A SMYTH, b. 1860, Kentucky, d. Prior to 1880
- William P SMYTH, b. 1862, Kentucky, d. Prior to 1906
- Florence SMYTH, b. 1864, Kentucky
- John E SMYTH, b. 27 Feb 1866, Liberty Casey Co Kentucky, d. 16 Dec 1954, bur. Highland Cemetery, Kansas City KS
- Robert W SMYTH, b. Apr 1868, Kentucky, d. 1908
- Henry Newton SMYTH, d. PRIOR TO 1906